The Doughnut Thief
by FinnJake Fan
Summary: "I never thought that things would go out of control like this. It only started with a single doughnut - and then everything spiraled up to its way to be the crime of the century..." The quote is all you need to know now. *FAST UPDATES* Please Read and Follow :)
1. Prologue

_Okay, I don't like big introductions._ So I'm going to make this short. This story may be very long (10,000 words) OR pretty short (5000 words). But one thing that you need to know at this time is that **I UPDATE FAST** and I intend on keeping the chapters relatively short.  
**_So please follow and enjoy my story :)_**

* * *

_Credits:  
Title inspired by "The Book Thief"_  
_Story inspired by the Episode: "The Mystery" (Amazing World of Gumball)_  
_Plot inspired by random fugitive movies, especially "The Fugitive" (movie, 1993)_  
_I do not own Amazing World of Gumball._

_..._

**The Doughnut Thief**

It was just a regular day in Elmore...

_...Regular…_

Basically all stories start with a 'regular' scenario...  
_Then it all exaggerates into some big deal…_

_"I never thought that things would go out of control like this. It only started with a single doughnut - and then everything spiraled up to its way to be the crime of the century. And here we are - running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. Everybody's after us. The end is near..._

_Or is it? _

_Because one thing I know for sure is that we can't run forever-"_

* * *

Author Notes: This is kind of like a prologue... Chapter 1 is next and coming up soon! If you think the story's going to be interesting just from reading the prologue, please click "Follow" :D

Remember... **I update fast** :) So you never have to wait for long


	2. 3 Hours

Chapter 1 - **3 hours**

_"...Everybody's after us. The end is near... or is it?_  
_But one thing I know for sure is that we can't run forever-"_

* * *

"Gumball! For the love of God, can you stop narrating random fugitive stories?!" Darwin snapped, "And if you cut off a chicken's head, it would die!"

"What? I'm just inspired by 'The Fugitive'(See Story Notes 1)" Gumball whined, "I'm trying to be as cool as him."

Darwin sighed. It was almost dinnertime and he haven't finished his homework, thanks to the disturbance caused by Gumball's fanfictions about fugitives.

_I decided it was time that I stop being a coward, and go back to where it all started,_ Gumball continued, _So I grabbed everything I had. Gun, check._  
_Throwing Knives? Check._  
_Courage? Check._  
_Brains? Check…_

"_You don't have a brain, idiot_," Darwin said to himself, a silent fury building up in him. Sure it was _just a crappy story_, but try listening to the same story for **3 HOURS**.

Yes… you would lose your mind as well…

And he still had homework to do. Not to mention that he also have to finish up his projects as well.  
Darwin somehow blocked out the noise that Gumball was making, but the anger that was building inside him until now was on the verge of exploding. He fidgeted with the pencil that was in his hands, unused for 3 hours.

It was was about time that Nicole's voice was heard from downstairs, otherwise he was about to stab him with the pencil out of annoyance(See Story Notes 2).

"Dinner's ready, boys! Come downstairs!" she said, with a little bit of anger in her voice, but not necessarily screaming at them.

* * *

Story Notes:  
(1) - 1993 film, The Fugitive, starring Harrison Ford  
(2) - Chillax people, Darwin wasn't really going to stab Gumball to death!


	3. Humiliation

Chapter 2 - **Humiliation**

~The same day as the previous chapter~  
(Afternoon)  
"5 chocolate frosted doughnuts please. With sprinkles," a man said to the girl who was taking the orders at the doughnut shop.

He was standing near the register, tapping his fingers on the smooth surface as he waited. After a minute or so, the girl returned with a brown paper bag and handed it to the man who was waiting. He glanced at the name tag that was on the young woman's uniform before leaving.

| Karen |(1)

He walked down a quiet sidewalk, avoiding the noise pollution from the main roads. He unknowingly began to swing the bag back and forth as he enjoyed the spring weather.

Right behind him, two figures, covered in a black cloak appeared from another block. They advanced toward the man until they were only a couple of feet away from him. _"Ok, keep it cool man, you can do this,"_ one of the figure thought. They crept up to the man, making sure they made no noise as they took their steps forward.

He(2) swiftly reached out his hand, grabbed the brown paper bag away from the man - and ran away, holding his newly found loot tightly in his hand. His sidekick followed him as well.

"Hey!" The man shouted, but by then, the figures disappeared.

Disappeared where? Around the block? Behind the parked car? Or is he hiding in the bushes nearby?

The man checked everywhere, frantically searching for his beloved doughnuts.

Oh wait!

Is that his doughnut?

Lying flat on the front yard he was passing by, he saw a single chocolate frosted doughnut. He bent down and picked the only doughnut that the perpetrator left while robbing him.

"5 second rule," the man said to himself, as he took a huge bite out of the doughnut…

_(~)_

He immediately spit out the doughnut in disgust. The expression on his face turning bitter in less than a second as he realized that the doughnut was actually made of **mud**! And to make things worse, the prankster put used pieces of gum as sprinkles!

"That son of a…" the man said in anger.

As he tried to spit out every traces of the mud that was still left in his mouth, the used pieces of gum got stuck all over his hair.

Soon enough, the man was panicking to get the _disgusting_ pieces of gum off his beautiful brown hair.

A couple of pedestrians glanced at him in curiously, wondering how he got gum all over his facial hair(3)

**"You will pay for this _humiliation_, Watterson!"** The man muttered with gritted teeth.

Story Notes:  
(1) - Karen is a character in TAWOG. She's Larry's girlfriend  
(2) - Only one of the figure actually grabbed the doughnuts away from him. His sidekick was present as well (remember, there are two people covered in dark clothing). Both closely resembled Gumball/Darwin

Try and guess the name of the victim!


	4. Wanted for Robbery

Chapter 3 - **Wanted for Robbery**

~the next day~  
10:00am  
Gumball and Darwin just woke up. Since it's a Saturday, they had their best night sleep from the past 6 nights. Gumball turned and stretched under his blanket as he waited for Darwin to come out of the bathroom.

~Few minutes later~

Gumball and Darwin poured their cereal and milk and started to devour them.

A typical weekend morning...

Nicole was home watching the news on TV; Richard was right next to her, sleeping on the couch. Anais just came downstairs and joined Gumball and Darwin.

A typical boring-but-yet-relaxing weekend morning…

_Until…_

Gumball, Darwin and Anais were just finishing up their breakfast when they heard a worried (or curious) voice coming from the living room. "Gumball, Darwin, why are you on TV?"

"Words CANNOT describe how FURIOUS I am AT YOU!" Nicole screamed at the boys, "I can't BELIEVE you robbed your own principal!"

"We did?" Darwin asked himself.

_"Huh?" Richard woke up from the noise._

"What?" Gumball asked, confused.

"You're in SO MUCH TROUBLE, young man!"

"But- but we didn't do anything!" Darwin said with a confused expression.

"Then why are you guys on TV? You two are **_wanted_ for robbery!**"

"Believe me, we didn't do anything!" Gumball pleaded.

"I think someone's trying to frame them," Anais stepped into the heated conversation.

Gumball silently thanked Anais for saving him from his mom's fury.

The three silently watched the news on the TV; for a while, they had nothing to say.

...the two Watterson brothers allegedly robbed Nigel Brown the principal of Elmore High yesterday afternoon. Let's see what the sheriff working on this case have to say.

By saying this the reporter moved to the entrance on the Police Department where the Doughnut Sheriff just got outside, looking sloppy and tired, oblivious to the fact that he was supposed to be working on the case.

However, after seeing the chaos outside the building his eyes grew wide and the expression on his face clearly revealed that he was trying to figure out why these people were here.

A red strip at the bottom of the screen appeared. **BREAKING NEWS** it said in white bold letters.

Watterson brothers allegedly robbed their school principal yesterday afternoon, appeared next in the headlines.

"What?!" Richard's eyes grew wide after seeing the news, "_Now I know what the screaming was all about_"

"Gumball and Darwin are the prime suspects in a robbery?!" Richard questioned, with a surprised tone as well as panic about what he's going to do about his sons.

"We didn't do anything! Really!" Gumball and Darwin pleaded.

"It's only a matter of time that the cops are gonna come here," Anais said, tensed about what will happen next.

"Don't worry," Nicole said with determination, "We're not a family of cowards. We are a strong family! And we will stand together - and prove that even though we are the troublemakers of Elmore, Gumball and Darwin did nothing wrong!"

_Troublemakers of Elmore…_

"...We are going to stay right here! We'll fight for ourselves and lawfully prove their innocence!"

There was a short pause.

"YEEAAAAHH!" everybody cheered.

* * *

Story Notes:  
(1) - The symbol (~) stands for short breaks in the story (plot)  
(2) - [most] Words in _Italics_ expresses vague thoughts (more like a side note)

Did anyone notice that the name of the chapter is always in the story?


	5. It was reality

Chapter 4 - **It was reality**

_We drove through the deserts of the Great Plains. Empty highway. No cops to be seen anywhere. Just the way we wanted it to be._  
_But if we wanted it to be that way, we have to be on the move - always._

_It was only a matter of time we start facing problems. Maybe it's just that we ran out of gas, or we need a place to stay. But then the problems lead to trust issues, disagreements, the group's inability to do the simplest of tasks, and at last and this is the most important one - failure to stick together._

Sounds like Gumball's daily daydreams about fugitive stories...

Only the difference this time was that this wasn't a dream

_...it was reality._

This was Gumball's actual thoughts about what was going on right now…

~Flashback~  
"...We are going to stay right here! We'll fight for ourselves and lawfully prove their innocence!"

There was a short pause.

"YEEAAAAHH!" everybody cheered.

_*Another short Pause*_

Everybody runs up to their rooms. (_Talk about irony_)

(~)

"Come on kids, pack up! Quick!" Nicole called out from the bedroom. She stuffed all the necessary stuff(1) she needs in the suitcase while Richard was downstairs clearing out the fridge and stuffing everything in the cooler.

Gumball and Darwin packed their favorite games and clothes. Just before they were about to head downstairs, Gumball grabbed his notebook and pen and stuffed it into the bag.

(~)

After everything was loaded up in the back of the car, everybody quickly got inside. Nicole started up the engine and the family fled town before the police could get there.

*VROOOM*  
*SCRREEEEEECH*  
*VROOOOOOM*

~End of flashback~

_And here we are, in the middle of nowhere; travelling on a single highway that seems to stretch on forever. Dust blowing from the back of the car as we sped on, going forward, towards the south._

It was beginning to get dark as the sun set by the horizon. Gumball stared out the window, still narrating his real life fugitive story in his mind. Darwin and Anais both looked tensed as to what would happen just in case the police finds them. After all, they can't keep running for the rest of their lives.  
And if they do, they always have to plan ahead, they can't trust anyone, they can't go to school, always have to be on the run - wait a second…. _no school…._

NO SCHOOL!

Yaaaaay!

_~Be free - and abide by no rules, for you have nothing to lose~_

The thought bought a slight smile on Darwin's face, but for some reason he can't smile properly.

It was dark outside(2). Nobody spoke a word for the past hour.  
_The chaotic Watterson family was quiet for 1 FULL hour…_

Nicole was the first one to break the silence, "Richard," she called her sleeping husband.

"Huh?"

"Uhm… it's your turn to drive."

Richard yawned and stretched. Anais was asleep. Richard walked, hunched over his back, to the other side.

_After 15 minutes~  
_"I think we need a place to stay over the night," Richard said, "I don't know how long I can drive like this."

"Oh come on! You didn't drive at all! I was the one driving for the past 7 hours!" However Nicole agreed with Richard's idea of staying somewhere for the night. After all she needed a proper rest after driving for so long.

* * *

Story Notes:  
(1) - By "necessary" stuff, I meant MONEY (cash)  
(2) - It may be dark outside but it's not late at night. It's the time right after the Sun sets.

Author Notes: Nicole may be a little out of character for this chapter. Also, just a reminder that the chapter is mostly from Gumball's POV (thoughts, feelings and experience).

By the way, anybody guessed what Anais packed in her bag? :3

Meanwhile, keep guessing who the real culprit is (by review or PM)!


	6. Butt's Motel

*Phew* this chapter took me a while to write. Enjoy your stay at butt's motel c:

* * *

Chapter 5 - **Butt's Motel**

"GPS, tell me the shortcut to the nearest Motel" Richard ordered at the screen.

"Butt's Motel, 3 miles SW. Turn left- _at the nearest exit…_"

Before the instruction was over Richard made a sharp turn left, waking everybody who were sleeping.(Scene from the Episode: The Bumpkin)

"huh?" Anais woke up, "What just happened?" she asked, suddenly alarmed.

"Oh you know your dad, he's just using a shortcut to the nearest motel," Nicole said casually, but still sleepy. She yawned and closed her eyes.

"Weird name, isn't it? hehehe… Butt's Motel" Darwin chukled. Gumball smiled stupidly.

"We are here kids," Richard called out as he pulled over the Motel's parking spots. "Welcome… to the Butt's Motel..._hehe_."

Anais looked out the car window. The blue neon sign clearly spelled "**Bates**"(1). "Dad, It's _Bates_ Motel, not _butt's_ motel," Anais said, rolling her eyes. Gumball and Darwin looked at the sign… they were somewhat disappointed by the sudden _name change._

(~)

The family walked through a pair of glass doors and went up to an old woman who was sitting on the other side of a shaggy old wooden table, staring at a computer screen. The white light shone on her face, giving it a pale color; a face void of any expression.

It was quiet inside.  
_Too quiet..._

"Excuse me, I would like to have a room for 4," Richard said to the woman in front of him.  
She looked up from the computer screen; her bush of _hair_ rustled and her wrinkled face was more noticeable now(She closely resembles the librarian).

She jotted down the names and took the cash from Richard. "I'll go get the keys" she said before disappearing through a wooden door (which was on the other side of the table).

Gumball looked around the dim litted lobby. He noticed a vending machine full of sodas on the right wall. It looked old - as if it hadn't been used for years.

"This place is too quiet, don't you think?" Richard whispered, a chill running down his spine, for unnoticed fear.  
Anais tapped on the floor, waiting for the lady to get back.  
Gumball sighed, "This place reeks of boredom."  
Nicole blankly stared at what was going on and it looked like she was about to collapse.

The woman came back with the keys. She handed them to Richard, glancing at the rest of the family, as if memorizing their faces just in case she needs to describe their faces to the cops.  
After all, they all looked suspicious, especially Nicole, who had deep round rings around her eyes; she looked liked she just smoked weed.

After the family, booked a room, they walked up a dimly-lit narrow stairway to the 2nd floor. The motel had somehow sparked a eerie feeling in Gumball and Darwin as they walked down the narrow corridor to their room.

Nicole [made Richard] only booked 1 room in order to save money.

Richard pushed the door open and everybody got inside. Nicole didn't say a word. She just walked up to the bed and fell on it, her arms spread across the queen sized bed "Goodnight, kids," she yawned.  
...

* * *

Story Notes:  
(1) - Please excuse my bad pun. (by the way, I don't watch that show ._.)

* * *

Meh... boring boring boring... get ready for the next chapter because it's going to be 'not-boring'! :D


	7. Operation Soda

Chapter 6 - **Operation Soda **

For a couple of minutes, almost no one said anything. Gumball and Darwin explored the room. There was a sofa that could be turned into a bed, a bathroom on the left corner of the room, a heater, a _phone, a towel, a lamp, a light bulb, a the list kept going on…_

"It's so boring here," Gumball complained.  
"But not for long!" Richard said with a wide grin. Anais gave him a look of horror. "- 'cuz I just ordered some pizza!"  
"Yay! Pizza!" Darwin cheered.

(~)

"Heyyy… what about the soda?" Gumball asked.  
"Erm, I don't have any money left," Richard said as he took a bite of the pizza.  
"No problem, Darwin, I know exactly how to get free sodas!" Gumball said with a evil frown.  
Anais sighed. She knew this isn't going to end well. It never does…

Gumball and Darwin walked downstairs to the lobby.  
"Ok, so here's the plan to Operation Soda," Gumball said with a stern voice, "We go to our car and get a crowbar. And then we wait till th_e lady leaves the room or distract her. Once she's out of sight, we run up to the vending machine and we..._

* * *

"I wonder why we carry such weapons in the trunk of our car," Darwin said surprised as he looked at the trunk.  
"Whatever it is, it's going to be useful now," Gumball said as he rummaged through the stuff in the back of the car, "Knives, poisoned nun-chucks, water-guns, chemicals, frozen Kenneth, Urgh! Where's the crowbar? Oh here it is," he pulled out the long piece of metal and smiled.

"I'll get the walkie-talkies!" Darwin said as he rummaged through his toys.

* * *

**Gumball**: pffsht, Darwin, come in.

_Darwin_: I'm here, over, pffsht

**Gumball**: What's your position? over.

_Darwin_: I'm hiding behind the fake bushes, over.

**Gumball**: Good Job, Is that lady still there? over.

_Darwin_: Yes… no wait, she just went to the bathroom-

**Gumball**: Good, go to the vending machine.  
Over and out. (click)

_Darwin_: Roger that. (click)

And by saying that, Darwin went to the vending machine and started to bang at the front panel.  
**BANG!**

"Darwin! You don't just bang at the front! That old lady will know that someone's trying to steal her sodas! You have to be careful! We are lucky that the front panel didn't break." Gumball said, looking at the shattered glass.

_Meanwhile in the bathroom~_

"Now I got tattoos on my body  
Psycho b* in my lobby  
I got haters in the paper  
Photo shoots with paparazzi  
Can't even take my daughter for a walk  
See 'em by the corner store  
I feel like I'm cornered off  
Enough is enough  
I'm calling this off" The talking tree rapped as she listened to Holy Grail (song by Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z), completely unaware of what was going to outside.

Meanwhile Gumball and Darwin grabbed as much soda as they can and ran upstairs.

~Back in the room~  
Richard just finished putting the earplugs in Nicoles ear when Gumball and Darwin walked in. Anais helped them with the soda. "I bet you broke the vending machine for these." Anais smirked. She was expecting this.

**Gumball**: Yep.

_Anais_: Don't you think the noise would have alarmed all the other people around? *raises an eyebrow*

**Gumball**: Psshh, don't worry about it *Pats Anais' head* NOW LET'S GET THE PARTY STARTED!

* * *

Story Notes: This chapter is another demonstration of Richard's carefree nature. This is also the opposite scenario from the Episode: The Painting - where Richard sleeps and the rest of the family have fun.


	8. Look At the TV!

Chapter 7 - **Look at the TV!**

~Early morning~

Nicole groaned as she woke up. The news was on. She could hear vague sounds of rock music playing in a distance. She opened her eyes.

There was an empty pizza box right next to her.

The room was a mess. Empty soda cans all over the floor. Cold fries smeared all over the carpet. Overdue coupons lied all over the couch.

"What… what happened here?" Nicole muttered to herself. She staggered to the bathroom. It was all wet - and her husband fell asleep in the bathtub. "Richard?" she shook him. He woke up, startled. "Where are the kids?"

"WHAT?" Richard suddenly sit up.

Gumball, Darwin and Anais ran up the stairs and got into the room. "Mom! Dad!" they called frantically. Richard and Nicole ran outside the bathroom. "What the matter?"

"Look at the TV!" Anais pointed.

The Wattersons have fled town yesterday afternoon. Police are still looking for the troublemaking family. Many students at Elmore High reacts to the situation…

And by saying that the reporter moved toward a familiar person who looked like a peanut with antlers.

"What do you think about the doughnut theft committed by your fellow classmate?" the reporter asked, the microphone shaking as many people tried to get her response.

"Uhh…" Penny hesitated at the chaos that was in front of her. She was on national TV! "I think Gumball and Darwin is completely innocent!" she said loudly, her cheeks turning red, "The- this is all a misconception!"

"Oh my God… we are everywhere!" Nicole exclaimed, "We gotta get out of here NOW. Before anyone turns us in!"

"Gumball let's go," Darwin said as he tugged at his arms. Gumball was lovestruck, looking at Penny on TV - more importantly, she believes Gumball is innocent. "Gumball!" Darwin slapped at him. "Huh?" Gumball came back to reality.

"We gotta go!" Darwin panicked.

"Oh yeah," Gumball realized and zoomed downstairs.

~meanwhile~

The old lady stared at the TV set as the reporters were talking about the 'famous' doughnut theft.

If you know anything about the whereabouts of this family, please call the number below…

And then a photo of Gumball, Darwin, Anais, Nicole and Richard popped up.

"Heyyy…. I know them… they are in this motel!" the lady realized. She grabbed the phone and called the police. Just then, she saw the Watterson family staggering across the hall as they saw the owner dial the number.

"Heyy! Hold it right-" she tried to yell out.

"911 What's your emergency?" the operator asked.

"The Watterson family are running away from the motel!"

Her voice became inaudible as they ran towards the car. Nicole fumbled with the keys and hastily started the car up. *Vrrooom*  
*Screeech!*

Meanwhile~  
"Urgh! They didn't even pay the bill for all the food they ordered!" the lady complained.

* * *

Story Notes:  
The bathtub scene was inspired by the movie "Hangover 2"


End file.
